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Kumamoto Prefecture
| native_name = }}}} | settlement_type = Prefecture | translit_lang1 = Japanese | translit_lang1_type = Japanese | translit_lang1_info = | translit_lang1_type1 = Rōmaji | translit_lang1_info1 = | image_flag = Flag of Kumamoto Prefecture.png | flag_size = 100px | image_blank_emblem = Emblem of Kumamoto Prefecture.png | blank_emblem_size = 80px | blank_emblem_type = Symbol | image_map = Map of Japan with highlight on 43 Kumamoto prefecture.png | coordinates = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Japan | subdivision_type1 = Region | subdivision_name1 = Kyushu | subdivision_type2 = Island | subdivision_name2 = Kyushu | seat_type = Capital | seat = Kumamoto | parts_type = Subdivisions | parts_style = para | p1 = Districts: 9 | p2 = Municipalities: 45 | leader_title = Governor | leader_name = Ikuo Kabashima | area_total_km2 = 7409.48 | area_water_percent = 0.2 | area_rank = 16th | population_footnotes = | population_total = 1748134 | population_as_of = June 1, 2019 | population_rank = 23rd | population_density_km2 = auto | iso_code = JP-43 | website = }} is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Kumamoto prefecture" in . The capital is the city of Kumamoto.Nussbaum, "Kumamoto" in . History Historically, the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration.Nussbaum, "Provinces and prefectures" in . The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system. The current Japanese orthography for Kumamoto literally means "bear root/origin", or "origin of the bear". Geography Kumamoto Prefecture is in the center of Kyushu, the southernmost of the four major Japanese islands. It is bordered by the Ariake inland sea and the Amakusa archipelago to the west, Fukuoka Prefecture and Ōita Prefecture to the north, Miyazaki Prefecture to the east, and Kagoshima Prefecture to the south. Mount Aso (1592 m), an extensive active volcano, is in the east of Kumamoto Prefecture. This volcano is located at the centre of the Aso caldera. As of 31 March 2019, 21% of the total land area of the prefecture was designated as natural parks: the Aso Kujū and Unzen-Amakusa National Parks; Kyūshū Chūō Sanchi and Yaba-Hita-Hikosan Quasi-National Parks; and Ashikita Kaigan, Itsuki Gokanoshō, Kinpōzan, Misumi-Ōyano Umibe, Okukuma, Shōtaisan, and Yabe Shūhen Prefectural Natural Parks. Cities Fourteen cities are located in Kumamoto Prefecture: *'Kumamoto' (the capital city of the prefecture) *Amakusa *Arao *Aso *Hitoyoshi *Kami-Amakusa *Kikuchi *Kōshi *Minamata *Tamana *Uki *Uto *Yamaga *Yatsushiro Towns and villages These are the towns and villages in each district: *Amakusa District **Reihoku *Ashikita District **Ashikita **Tsunagi *Aso District **Minamiaso **Minamioguni **Nishihara **Oguni **Takamori **Ubuyama *Kamimashiki District **Kashima **Kōsa **Mashiki **Mifune **Yamato *Kikuchi District **Kikuyō **Ōzu *Kuma District **Asagiri **Itsuki **Kuma **Mizukami **Nishiki **Sagara **Taragi **Yamae **Yunomae *Shimomashiki District **Misato *Tamana District **Gyokutō **Nagasu **Nagomi **Nankan *Yatsushiro District **Hikawa Mergers Demographics The population was on 1 June 2019 at 1,748,134 inhabitants with a population density of 236 per km ². The prefecture ranks 23rd in Japan. Economy in Yamato, Kamimashiki]] ]] There is a Honda motorcycle plant. ]] Tourism *Mount Aso is one of the world's largest active volcanoes. *Kumamoto Castle *Suizenji Park *Tsūjun Bridge, the largest stone aqueduct in Japan is in Yamato Education Universities National *Kumamoto University Public *Kumamoto Prefectural University Private *Kumamoto Gakuen University *Kyushu University of Nursing and Social Welfare *Kyushu Lutheran College *Kumamoto Health Science *Shokei Gakuin University *Sojo University *Heisei College of Music Transportation Rail *JR Kyushu **Kyushu Shinkansen **Kagoshima Line **Hohi Line **Hisatsu Line **Misumi Line *Kumamoto Electric Railway *Kumagawa Railroad *South Aso Railway *Hisatsu Orange Railway Tramway *Kumamoto City Transportation Bureau Road Expressways and toll roads *Kyushu Expressway *South Kyushu Expressway *Kumamoto Amakusa Road National highways * Route 3 * Route 57 * Route 208 (Kumamoto-Tamana-Arao-Ōmuta) * Route 212 * Route 218 (Kumamoto-Takachiho-Nobeoka) * Route 219 * Route 265 * Route 266 * Route 267 (Hitoyoshi-Isa-Satsuma-Satsumasendai) * Route 268 * Route 324 * Route 325 (Yamaga-Minamiaso-Takamori-Takachiho) * Route 387 * Route 388 (Saiki-Nobeoka-Unomae) * Route 389 * Route 442 * Route 443 * Route 445 * Route 501 (Ōmuta-Arao-Udo) * Route 503 Ports Ferry routes *Kumamoto-Shimabara *Nagasu-Unzen *Ushibuka-Kuranomoto (Nagashima) *Yatsushiro-Kamiamakusa *Reihoku-Nagasaki Airport *Kumamoto Airport *Amakusa Airport Sports These sports teams are based in the prefecture: *Professional: **Roasso Kumamoto - Men's football and J League Second Division **Blaze Kumamoto - Men's association football **Mashiki Renaissance Kumamoto - Women's association football *Amateur: **Kumamoto Golden Larks - regional baseball The Kumamoto Prefecture will host the 2019 World Women's Handball Championship, having previously hosted the 1997 World Men's Handball Championship. Sister cities Kumamoto Prefecture is the 'sister state/prefecture' of Montana in the United States. Kumamoto has a sister city located in Texas named San Antonio, which holds an annual fall festival 'akimatsuri' for its Japanese citizens. In 2015 the mascot, 'Kumamon' visited as an honorary ambassador during the festival located at the Japanese Tea Gardens. Notable people * Tetsu Komai, a Hollywood actor * Kazuaki Kiriya, a filmmaker * Kimeru, a pop artist * Miku Kobato, founder and vocalist of Band-Maid JpopAsia|last=JpopAsia|website=JpopAsia|language=en|access-date=2018-03-11}} * Moe Kamikokuryou, a Japanese idol * Yuri Masuda, singer * Tomiko Van, singer, vocalist of Do As Infinity * Eiichiro Oda, manga author, creator of One Piece x * Tetsuya Noda, Contemporary artist * Katsuhiro Ueo, Drifting driver * Ichiki Tatsuo, journalist and defector in the Indonesian National Revolution *Hitomi Tanaka, Adult Model Notes References * Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). [https://books.google.com/books?id=p2QnPijAEmEC&client=firefox-a Japan encyclopedia.] Cambridge: Harvard University Press. ; OCLC 58053128 External links * * National Archives of Japan ... Kumamoto map (1891) * Category:Kumamoto Prefecture Category:Kyushu region Category:Prefectures of Japan